Indian Envoy Summoned Again This Week By Pakistan To Protest Civilian Killings At LoC

An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldier patrols along the Pargwal area of India-Pakistan international border in Akhnoor, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Sunday, Aug.9, 2015. The neighbors have fought two wars since 1947 over their competing claims to the Himalayan region of Kashmir. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Pakistan on Friday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner and lodged a protest over the killing of three Pakistani civilians in alleged firing by Indian troops across the LoC.

Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh was summoned to the Foreign Office and was told that "intentional targeting of innocent civilians is high condemnable," a Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.

"Pakistan has expressed its deep concern at the continuous unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian security forces and the intentional targeting of innocent civilians, which is high condemnable," the statement said.

This is the second time Pakistan has summoned the Indian envoy this week.

Pakistan claimed that three of its nationals were killed in Nikial sector due to "unprovoked" ceasefire violations by Indian troops.

The deputy envoy was summoned on a day when a villager in Poonch district was injured when Pakistan violated the ceasefire for the fourth consecutive day by resorting to heavy firing and mortar shelling on forward posts along the LoC, forcing Indian troops to retaliate.

On Wednesday previously, Pakistan had summoned Singh to lodge a protest over the killing of a solider in alleged firing by Indian troops.

Pakistan had yesterday asked India to honour its commitment regarding observance of ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC).

While condemning both the incidents, Pakistan expressed its deep concern over the continuous unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian side at the LoC and targeting of the civilian areas, the statement said. "The Indian government was urged to stop forthwith the ceasefire violations and observe the 2003 Ceasefire Arrangement for restoration of peace and tranquillity at the LoC and the Working Boundary," it said.

The biannual meeting between commanders of Pakistan Rangers and Border Security Force that was held on Saturday decided to completely ban firing of mortar shells along the border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir which has killed several civilians and damaged houses.

Meanwhile, in yet another act of transgression by Pakistan, one Indian fishermen was killed after Pakistan Navy opened fire on two Indian boats off the Gujarat coast.

According to reports, Pakistan Navy fired on Indian fishing boat Premraj and Ramraj that had 5-6 fishermen on board. The boats had set sail from Okha on September 8.

The, apparently, unprovoked firing lead to the death of one fisherman, who was later identified as Bhatti Iqbal Abdul, a native of Okha.

Reports added that two coast guard vessels are on their way to the location of the fishing vessels and will toe the boats back to a Indian harbour.